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Effect of undernutrition on succinate dehydrogenase and acetylcholinesterase in developing rat brain
U K Singh1, K N Agarwal, R Shanker
1Department of Paediatrics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Insights
Undernourished rat pups experienced reduced body and brain weight, with significant decreases in protein and nucleic acid content. Enzyme activity, crucial for brain function, also declined, impacting oxidative and neurotransmission processes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Early life nutrition is critical for brain development.
- Undernutrition during sensitive periods can lead to long-term cognitive deficits.
- Specific biochemical markers of brain function are sensitive to nutritional status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of early-life undernutrition on brain development in rat pups.
- To quantify changes in brain weight, protein, and nucleic acid content.
- To assess the activity of key enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), in the developing brain.
Main Methods:
- Rat pups were subjected to daily maternal separation for 14 hours, starting at 5 days old, for durations of 7, 10, 13, 16, and 20 days.
- Body and brain weights were measured.
- Protein and nucleic acid concentrations in the brain were determined.
- Enzyme activities of SDH and AChE were assayed.
Main Results:
- Undernourished pups exhibited significant reductions in body weight, brain weight, protein, and nucleic acid content compared to controls.
- SDH and AChE enzyme activities showed significant decreases from day 10 onwards in undernourished rats.
- The most pronounced reductions in brain composition and enzyme activity occurred during the suckling-weaning-transition period (20-21 days).
Conclusions:
- Early-life undernutrition adversely affects brain development in rats, leading to decreased biomass and biochemical components.
- Reduced activities of SDH and AChE suggest impaired oxidative metabolism and neurotransmission in the undernourished developing brain.
- The suckling-weaning-transition period is particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of nutritional deficits on brain maturation.
Abstract:
Pups (5 days old) were undernourished by separating them for 14 hr daily from their mothers for 7, 10, 13, 16 and 20 days. The undernourished rats showed significant decrease in body and brain weight, protein and nucleic acid contents at all stages of observation as compared to controls. The activities of SDH and AChE enzymes were decreased significantly after 10 days and onwards in undernourished rat brain. However, maximum decrease in brain protein, nucleic acid contents and enzyme activities was observed during suckling-weaning-transition (20-21 days). Such alterations in enzyme activities may be correlated with the reduced oxidative and neurotransmission function in undernourished developing rat brain.